Two track and field athletes with Minn. ties race in Rio

Two track and field athletes with Minnesota connections will race for Olympic medals Saturday in Rio.

Hassan Mead will compete in the 5,000-meter final and Ben Blankenship from Stillwater runs in the 1,500 meter.

Dave Schwartz, a journalist covering the Olympic games for KARE 11, said Mead, a Minneapolis South High graduate, was advanced to the final on appeal after he was tripped in the qualifying race.

"That was just in my mind — that he's moving on to the finals. And if he runs the way he did the other day I'd say he's got a pretty good shot at a medal," Schwartz said.

Blankenship, from Stillwater, is a former two-time state champion in track and field. Schwartz said Blankenship has a workman-like approach to running.

"He's not a real emotional guy. He's just kind of steady as it goes, and that's kind of the way it is with distance runners because that's just the life they live," he said. "So I think I'm sure if you asked him in is heart of hearts, he wants a medal. But he doesn't necessarily want to say that out loud. He just wanted to run the best he can."

Click on the audio player above to hear their conversation.